The source for Rice sports news

Rice Women’s Basketball drops opener to South Dakota State

By

Rice Women’s Basketball built an early lead but couldn’t close things out, falling to South Dakota State in their home opener.

The depth of the 2024-2025 Rice women’s basketball roster has been a talking point for months. Even without graduated point guard Destiny Jackson, who was in attendance Monday to participate in the pre-game ring ceremony and AAC Championship banner unveiling, and Malia Fisher, who was held out for health reasons, the Owls seemed unflappable in the early goings.

Dominique Ennis paced the team in scoring, delivering a pair of early three-pointers as Rice fought for an early lead. The first test would come when Sussy Ngulefac picked up an early foul, leaving the game a few minutes later and kicking off that ballyhooed deep rotation.

With Ngulefac on the bench, Victoria Flores and Aniah Alexis made their Rice debuts. Shelby Hayes came through with six first half boards, leading all players. When Ngulefac returned the Owls’ lead had grown to seven.

More: Rice Women’s Basketball 2024-2025 Season Preview

Ngulefac made her presence felt in earnest at the start of the third quarter, scoring five of the Owls’ first seven points to give Rice its first double-digit lead. A dominant edge on the boards at that point put the home team in position for a resume-boosting win, but when the fourth quarter arrived, so too did a boisterous South Dakota State comeback.

After being held to no more than 15 points in each of the first three frames the Jackrabbits exploded for 26 points in the fourth, erasing a 13-point Rice advantage. South Dakota State took its first lead since the opening quarter with less than two to go in regulation. A hurried last-second shot was off the mark as the Owls saw their first game slip away.

“We didn’t hit shots early on in the fourth quarter and it snowballed into our defensive intensity,” head coach Lindsay Edmonds said. “When we’re hitting shots, we defend really, really, really well. And when we’re not hitting shots, we’re thinking about the shots that we didn’t hit.”

Those shots they didn’t hit cost the Owls a big non-conference win. Shorthanded or not, this a problem Rice women’s basketball has to figure out if they’re going to have the sort of season they’re expecting on South Main.

Final Box | South Dakota State 65 – Rice 63

What They’re Saying

Key takeaway | One-two punch

As successful as last season was for Rice Women’s Basketball, it was far from a smooth ride. The Owls had to make their run through the AAC Tournament as a double-digit seed, partly because they were seemingly hardly ever at full strength. Ngulefac missed the early portions of the season with injuries, coming into her own down the stretch when the team needed her most.

Ngulefac’s emergence was essential because it coincided with Hayes’ injury, which ended her season prematurely. Ngulefac played 19 of the Owls’ 34 games. Hayes played 18. Getting both on the court in the same game was a rarity. Those in attendance at Tudor Fieldhouse on Monday night saw how impactful that tandem can be when operating at their respective peaks.

“I feel like Sussy and Shelby showed up in a big way tonight and won that battle,” Edmonds said. “One came in and did their job and the next one came in and did their job. They did a really good job together being a one-two punch. That was good to see.”

Hayes and Ngulefac each reached double figures, combining for 23 points and 12 rebounds.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football 2024: NFL Owls Week 9 Roundup

By

Rice Football is well represented on 2024 NFL rosters. Here’s the latest from the NFL Owls in action in Week 9.

There are former Rice football players scattered across the NFL. Stay tuned each week for their game results and notables from each player.

Team NFL Owl(s) This Week Result Next Week
Detroit Lions Jack Fox (P) at Packers W, 24-14 at Texans (SNF)
Indianapolis Colts Kylen Granson (TE) at Vikings L, 21-13 vs Bills
Jacksonville Jaguars Austin Trammell (WR) at Eagles L, 28-23 vs Vikings
Pittsburgh Steelers Chris Boswell (PK)
Calvin Anderson (OL)		 — BYE —  — at Commanders
Seattle Seahawks Myles Adams (DL) vs Rams L, 26-20 (OT) — BYE —
Washington Commanders Luke McCaffrey (WR) at Giants W, 27-22 vs Steelers

Offense

Calvin Anderson – OL, Steelers

Anderson and the Steelers were on bye in Week 9.

Luke McCaffrey – WR, Commanders

As has been the case all season, McCaffrey played at least a third of the Commandres’ snaps on offense. This time, though, he was not targeted in the passing game and did not record a reception. That’s just the third time as a pro he’s gone without a catch.

Kylen Granson – TE, Colts

Granson caught one pass for 22 yards against the Vikings on Sunday. It was his second-longest reception of the season, trailing only a 40-yard catch in Week 3 against the Bears.

Austin Trammell – WR, Jaguars

Elevated to the gameday roster for the first time this season, Trammell wasted no time getting involved. He caught two passes for 40 yards and returned a pair of punts. His most impactful play came in the final moments when he hauled in a pass from Trevor Lawrence that put the Jags in the redzone.

Defense

Myles Adams – DL, Seahawks

Adams was inactive for the Seahawks Week 9 game against the Bills. He’s been active for three of the Seahawks’ nine games so far this year.

Special Teams

Jack Fox – P, Lions

Fox turned in another impressive performance in the Lions’ win over the Packers in Week 9, averaging 50 yards per punt on four kicks including a long ball that went 60 yards.

Chris Boswell – K, Steelers

Boswell and the Steelers were on bye in Week 9. Boswell has made 23-of-24 field goals this season.

More Owls in the NFL

From practice squads to current free agents, there are other Owls on the cusp of returning to active rosters. Find more details on current contractual agreements and former Rice football players waiting for their next opportunity here.

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

Rice Football 2024 Game Preview: Memphis

By

Can interim head coach Pete Alamar keep the good times rolling as Rice football hits the road to take on Memphis? How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.

Rice football notched an unexpected prime-time win over Navy last Saturday, persevering through an expected afternoon kickoff that became an evening affair. In the meantime, Memphis was outgunned by UTSA, losing a shootout in the Alamo Dome. What will happen when the Tigers and Owls square off on Friday night?  Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup between Rice and Memphis.

Kickoff time | 8:00 PM CT
Venue | Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium – Memphis, TN
TV | ESPN2 (Viewing Guide)
Radio | Varsity Radio App (Online)

Audio / Visual Preview

We’ll preview Rice football vs Memphis on this week’s episode of the Blue and Gray Preview Show, kicking off live on Wednesday on the Rice Athletics YouTube channel. Look for a recap of the game on the site afterward as well as on The Roost Podcast, which should be released early next week.

Sizing up the contenders

Rice football had no choice but to focus on the game at hand following the dismissal of Mike Bloomgren. But with a win under their belts and some much-needed momentum, dreams of a bowl berth can be seen if you squint just a little bit. If Rice can get past Memphis, those fledgling hopes will be given real oxygen. 

For Memphis, they’ve still got a shot at a spot in the conference championship game, but it will necessitate a perfect finish to the regular season. A misstep this week against Rice or next week against UAB would doom a season with sky-high expectations before they ever reach their regular season finale against Tulane. 

Series History

All Time | Tied, 2-2
Last Five | Tied, 2-2
Last Meeting | Away 2012, Memphis won 14-10

Get the Inside Scoop

Get access to practice reports, analysis and special features during the week when you subscribe to our Starting Lineup Tier on Patreon today. If you want updates on how Rice football plans to attack this week’s opponent, position battles, standouts, injuries and more, this is your go-to source. Don’t miss out! Join now!

Become a Patron!

Rice Football Stat Notables

Passing | Warner – 188/303 (62.0 percent), 1573 yards, 10 TD, 9 INT /  Devillier 20/38 (52.6 percent), 137 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
Rushing | Connors – 112 carries, 623 yards (5.6 yards per carry), 8 TD / Jackson – 34 carries, 147 yards (4.3 yards per carry)
Receiving | Sykes – 49 receptions, 569 yards (11.6 yds/rec), 4 TD / Campbell – 22 receptions, 261 yards (11.9 yds/rec), 1 TD / Connors – 49 receptions, 329 yards (6.7 yds/rec), 1 TD
Tackles | Morris – 46, Taylor – 42, Fresch – 40
Pass Breakups | Fresch – 7, Ahoia – 6, Taylor – 5
Interceptions | Taylor/Flowers – 2, Williams/Mutombo – 1

Memphis Stat Notables

Passing | Henigan – 232/357 (65.0 percent), 2532 yards, 16 TD, 5 INT
Rushing | Anderson – 148 carries, 833 yards (5.6 yards per carry), 14 TD / Thomas – 41 carries, 267 yards (6.5 yards per carry), 6 TD
Receiving | Taylor – 46 receptions, 658 yards (14.3 yds/rec), 2 TD / Blankumsee – 34 receptions, 477 yards (14.0 yds/rec), 5 TD / Anderson – 39 receptions, 227 yards (5.8 yds/rec), 2 TD
Tackles | Martin – 73, Rubin – 55, Hudson – 47
Pass Breakups | Ross – 6, Rubin/Watts/Bell – 5
Interceptions | Ross – 2, Five others tied with one

Memphis X-Factor | Protect the football

Memphis has shown this season they can trade points with the best of them. The Tigers typically find a way to score when they get the football and they do so at a very high rate, but it’s what happens when the ball doesn’t go in the box that’s caused them issues.

Twice this season Memphis has failed to win the turnover margin: against Navy and against UTSA. They lost both games. In their other seven contests, Memphis is a combined +12 in turnovers and managed to win even their tighter contests simply by giving themselves a chance late to keep adding points.

A Memphis turnover means a drive with no points. With a defense that’s been as leaky as the Tigers have been this season, that’s simply not going to work. 

Rice X-Factor | Strike first

Whether it was the energy of an interim head coach or the sheer adrenaline of the moment, a different version of Rice football took the field against Navy this past weekend. The Owls staked themselves to a 17-0 lead before Navy had a chance to return fire. Scoring more points than the other team is always the goal in this game, but for the Owls, getting the first shot appears to be more paramount than could have been previously imagined.

The Owls have been forced to play from behind all of their other games against FBS opponents this year. They found a way to get it done against UTSA, but barring another miraculous drive, that can’t be Plan A this coming weekend. When Rice demonstrated last week that when they are able to set the tone and play from the front they’re an entirely different kind of football team.

Memphis can score in a hurry and it might very well take more than a couple of touchdowns to upset the Tigers on their own turf. Rice needs to keep pace and to do that effectively, they absolutely have to set the tone with an early touchdown (or two).

Injury Report (Subscribers only)

Sorry! This part of content is hidden behind this box because it requires a higher contribution level ($10) at Patreon. Why not take this chance to increase your contribution?
Become a Patron!

One Final Thing

For a moment, I thought about casting this game as one in which Rice football will be playing with proverbial house money. Nobody expects them to pull off another stunner and there won’t be any shame as they drop a road contest to the team picked to win the league in the preseason. 

However, what keeps coming back to me is a comment made by a subscriber following Saturday’s momentum victory over Navy. This was the team we expected to see in August. 

That version of Rice football never fully materialized for a litany of receivers we can unpack at the end of the season. But even without their head coach in place, those same players make up this team and they’ve shown the world what they’re capable of when things come together the right way.

Instead, this is a game full of opportunity. Who knows maybe a program that can knock off Navy and Memphis with an interim head coach has good enough bones to make a prospective head coach more intrigued than he otherwise might be? Maybe Rice football is a coach away from hitting its stride with a roster that’s bought in, regardless of the tumult around them.

It’s one game in a season that so far has largely been remembered for what hasn’t happened. But who’s to say they don’t have another stunner up their sleeves? It sure would make for a fun story. 

Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

The Roost Podcast | Ep 191 – Rice Football sinks Navy

By

Led by an interim head coach, Rice football waded through a five-hour delay before taking Navy to deep water and emerging victorious.

The odds might have been stacked against them, but the players in that Rice football locker room didn’t seem phased when they met Navy as double-digit underdogs on a water-logged field late Saturday night. The Owls put together a complete showing from all three phases and rolled to a rather comfortable win against a Navy squad previously unbeaten in conference action. How did they manage such a feat and can they do it again?

You can find previous episodes on the podcast page. For now, give a listen to Episode 191.

Episode Notes

DCTF

The Roost Podcast is now part of the Dave Campbell’s Republic of Football Podcast Network. You’ll still get the same content with the same hosts, but now under the DCTF banner.

Homefield

We’re thrilled to partner with Homefield Apparel, the premier proprietor of college football clothing. First-time buyers can use the code ROOST for 15% off their order. The Owls hoodie is a personal favorite as is the Luv-Ya-Owls shirt. Make sure you check out the brand-new sailor hat (pictured below) as you shop the Rice collection or pick up something else (or both)!

You can also grab the Luv-Ya-Owls shirt if you haven’t picked one up yet!

Homefield

Patreon

Get exclusive insight on Patreon. Be the first to get the inside scoop on what’s going on with Rice football and stick around for even further analysis. That includes practice updates, analysis and more. Your support matters and makes The Roost better.

Become a Patron!

Recapping Rice Football vs Navy

  • Five hour rain delay makes history
  • Defense delivers a dominant performance
  • Offense was effective and not flukey
  • Special teams contributed in big moments
  • So much of this felt repeatedable
  • What’s the outlook for the remainder of the season?

Where can you find us?

The Roost Podcast is part of the Dave Campbell’s Republic of Football Podcast Network. You can find this podcast and all of our partner podcasts on Apple, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.



Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts

AAC Football 2024: Week 10 Roundup

By

AAC Football was back in action this weekend. Here’s the latest from the teams on the gridiron this week.

Team Record  This Week Result Up Next
Army 8-0 (6-0) vs Air Force W, 20-3 at North Texas
Charlotte 3-6 (2-3) vs Tulane L, 34-3 — OFF —
ECU 4-4 (2-2) — OFF —  — vs FAU
FAU 2-6 (0-4) vs USF L, 44-21 at ECU
Memphis 7-2 (3-2) at UTSA L, 44-36 vs Rice
Navy 6-2 (4-1) at Rice L, 24-10 at USF
North Texas 5-3 (2-2) — OFF —  — vs Army
Rice 3-6 (2-4) vs Navy W, 24-10 at Memphis
Temple 2-6 (1-3) — OFF —  — at Tulane
Tulane 7-2 (5-0) at Charlotte W, 34-3 vs Temple
Tulsa 3-6 (1-4) at UAB L, 59-21 — OFF —
UAB 2-6 (1-4) vs Tulsa W, 59-21 vs UConn
USF 4-4 (2-2) at FAU W, 44-21 vs Navy
UTSA 4-5 (2-3) vs Memphis W, 44-36 — OFF —

Notable Results and Storylines // (Standings)

How about the Owls?

Rice football was a double-digit underdog to a Navy team previously unbeaten in conference play. Led by an interim head coach following a lengthy five-hour rain delay, the Owls came out swinging. Rice took a 17-0 lead and held on to win 24-10. The win keeps bowl hopes alive for at least one more week with a trip to a struggling Memphis team on deck.

Memphis exposed

For a team picked to run through the AAC with ease in the preseason, the Memphis Tigers never quite looked the part. A 3-0 start with a win over Florida State led to a loss to Navy (who turned out to be pretty good) before a series of close games against North Texas and Charlotte. Memphis was good, but never the juggernaut they were made out to be. That’s probably why it wasn’t too surprising to see them felled by UTSA, who is in the midst of a disappointing season of their own.

Tulane and Army on a collision course

With Navy going down on Saturday there are two teams still unbeaten in league play: Tulane and Army. The Green Wave are right on schedule with their preseason expectations. The Black Knights continue to defy the odds assigned to them by those preseason prognosticators. If everything holds this might set up a thrilling AAC title game between two teams that don’t play in the regular season.

Looking ahead – Key storylines

Navy must keep sailing

All is not lost for the Midshipmen. Despite a disappointing result on Saturday, Navy does play Tulane in the regular season. If the Middies can hold serve against the rest of their schedule, they’ll have a chance to get back into the conference title race with a win over Tulane.  The room for error got a lot smaller this week, though.

So you’re saying there’s a chance?

For other teams, the final nail in the coffin could be coming soon. Both Florida Atlantic and Charlotte will head into next weekend on the edge of bowl elimination with six losses on their ledger and many games still to play. However, the road gets much easier for both teams. It would take some fortune, but one of the running the table isn’t the most inconceivable notion. FAU plays ECU, Temple, Charlotte and Tulsa. Charlotte gets USF, FAU and UAB. The same goes for Rice who gets Memphis, UAB and USF.

Hope alive

One of the odd side effects of a top-heavy AAC in 2024 has been the elimination of the conference’s so-called “middle class”. There are the heavyweights and the cellar dwellers, but very few teams that will enter the final quarter of the season hovering around .500. East Carolina and South Florida each fit that bill. The 4-4 teams couldn’t have taken much different paths to their current state, but getting to six wins is within reach. That sure would be easier with a fifth win next week. ECU gets FAU. USF draws Navy.



Subscribe on Patreon for exclusive Rice football recruiting updates, practice notes and more.

Recent Posts